Device for inserting artificial grass strands into the ground

Abstract

An apparatus for inserting artificial grass strands into the ground may be used, for example, to prepare an artificial grass surface for a sporting field. The apparatus may comprise a frame, a plurality of spools having artificial grass strands wound thereon, a rotary device having a plurality of clamps configured to hold the grass strands, a cutting device configured to cut the artificial grass strands, and an insertion device configured to insert the artificial grass strands into the ground.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An apparatus for inserting artificial grass strand parts in the ground, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame that is configured to support various parts of the apparatus, 
 a plurality of spools with artificial grass strands wound thereon, 
 at least one rotary device that is mounted rotatably on the frame and rotates about a substantially horizontal rotation axis, wherein the rotary device is configured to receive a plurality of artificial grass strands that are unwound from the spools and to rotate these artificial grass strands with movement of the rotary device, wherein the rotary device comprises a plurality of clamps which, viewed in side view, are arranged around the rotation axis, wherein the clamps rotate with the rotary device, wherein the clamps comprise a front clamp and a rear clamp that are configured to hold a plurality of artificial grass strand parts, respectively corresponding to the artificial grass strands, clamped between the front clamp and the rear clamp, viewed in a direction of the rotation, and to allow the artificial grass strand parts to rotate with the rotary device, 
 at least one cutting device configured to cut through the artificial grass strands, so that the clamped artificial grass strand parts are cut off from a remainder of the artificial grass strands, 
 at least one insertion device that comprises a plurality of insertion pins and at least one actuator, wherein the actuator is configured to insert the insertion pins into the ground over a depth, 
 characterized in that the rotary device is configured to rotate the artificial grass strand parts to below the insertion device, wherein the insertion device is configured to insert the artificial grass strand parts, which have been rotated to below the insertion device, into the ground, and 
 wherein when viewed in a side view, the plurality of clamps comprises six clamps. 
 
     
     
       2. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is configured to perform a cycle during operation, wherein the cycle comprises a rotation period and a stationary period, wherein:
 in the rotation period, the rotary device is rotated over a cycle angle, wherein a series of artificial grass strand parts is positioned below the insertion device and a new series of artificial grass strand parts is clamped, and 
 in the stationary period, a front series of artificial grass strand parts is released by the clamps and inserted in the ground by the insertion device. 
 
     
     
       3. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein when viewed in side view and measured along a path that is defined by the plurality of clamps and any guides, the plurality of clamps are placed at mutual intervals of 30 to 50 cm apart, 35 to 45 cm apart, or 38 to 42 cm apart. 
     
     
       4. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the insertion pins are located in the rotary device. 
     
     
       5. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the rotary device is configured to keep a stock of at least one series of cut artificial grass strand parts. 
     
     
       6. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each clamp of the plurality of clamps is configured to hold at least 50 artificial grass strands, and for this each clamp has at least the same number of clamp shoes. 
     
     
       7. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each clamp of the plurality of clamps comprises a series of front shoes and a series of rear shoes, in particular one front shoe and one rear shoe for each of at least fifty tracks, wherein a gap is defined between the front shoes and the rear shoes, wherein the cutting device is configured to make a cut through the artificial grass strands in the gap so that the front shoes hold the rear ends of the cut artificial grass strand parts and the rear shoes hold the front ends of the artificial grass strands. 
     
     
       8. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of clamps are pre-tensioned by means of a spring force element, wherein the artificial grass strands are automatically clamped when placed in the plurality of clamps without further action being required for this, and wherein the apparatus comprises a clamp actuator that deactivates two clamps, which hold the artificial grass strand part to be inserted below the insertion device, prior to insertion of the artificial grass strand parts by the insertion device. 
     
     
       9. A method for inserting artificial grass strands in a ground, the method comprising:
 moving a rotary device, which is rotatably mounted on a frame and configured to rotate about a substantially horizontal rotation axis, to a location; 
 clamping each of a plurality of artificial grass strands, which are respectively unwound from a plurality of spools each having artificial grass wound thereon, between a corresponding front clamp located on the rotary device and a corresponding rear clamp located on the rotary device; 
 bringing the artificial grass strands to below an insertion device by rotation of the rotary device, wherein the rotation of the rotary device also causes rotation of the clamps and rotation of the artificial grass strands; 
 cutting, using a cutting device, the artificial grass strands off from remainders of the artificial grass on the spools; and 
 inserting the artificial grass strands into the ground by extending the insertion device downward to press the artificial grass strands into the ground. 
 
     
     
       10. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein when viewed in side view, the clamps are located at mutual distances of 30 to 50 cm apart, 35 to 45 cm apart, or 38 to 42 cm apart. 
     
     
       11. The method according to  claim 9 , wherein the inserting the artificial grass strands into the ground comprises inserting insertion pins in the ground, wherein the artificial grass strands are carried by the insertion pins. 
     
     
       12. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising performing a cycle, wherein the cycle comprises a rotation period and a stationary period, wherein:
 in the rotation period, the rotary device is rotated through a cycle angle, wherein the artificial grass strands are positioned below the insertion device and wherein a new series of artificial grass strand parts is clamped, and 
 in the stationary period, a front portion of each of the artificial grass strands is released by a corresponding one of the clamps and inserted in the ground by the insertion device. 
 
     
     
       13. The method according to  claim 11 , wherein the clamps are first brought to a loose state by means of a clamp actuator prior to insertion of the insertion pins, so that artificial grass strands that are in the insertion position are no longer clamped by the clamps. 
     
     
       14. The method according to  claim 9 , further comprising cutting the artificial grass strands before they are positioned below the insertion device. 
     
     
       15. The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein viewed in side view, the rotary device has 7 or 8 clamps.